Dr. Rhea Dodd teaches dogs to have the confidence to stay calm when left home alone.

It turns out that whether a dog displays separation anxiety or not depends on whether the canine has an optimistic or pessimistic take on life.

That, at least, is the finding of a new British study that tries to shed more light on the condition that owners have come to know and loathe: anxiety-ridden, noisy dogs that cause various types of destruction when left home alone.

Researchers at the University of Bristol in Great Britain produced the study, which was published in the Oct. 12 issue of Current Biology, by following the behavior of 24 shelter dogs.

In step one, the researchers took each of the dogs to rooms and played with them for 20 minutes. The next day, they took the dogs back to the rooms and left them alone, according to an article in HealthDay News.
For the next five minutes, researchers videotaped the dogs’ behavior, looking for signs of anxiety such as barking, jumping on furniture or scratching at the door.

In step two, researchers taught the dogs to expect that when a bowl was placed at a specific location in a room, the bowl would be full of food. When the bowl was placed in another location, it would be empty.

Afterward, researchers moved the bowl around, each time putting it in an ambiguous location where a dog couldn’t know for sure if it would contain food or not.

Dogs that ran quickly to the ambiguous bowl were considered “optimistic.” Those that ran slowly toward the food were considered “pessimistic.”

The videotapes showed pessimistic dogs were more likely to exhibit separation-related behaviors when left alone, while dogs that saw lthings more positively were less likely to become anxious when left alone.

And why should anybody care that much? Ask Dr. Rhea Dodd, a veterinary behaviorist who knows of freaked-out canines that have become so agitated that they frantically smashed through windows and drywall. (When he was younger, my black Labrador demolished the cushions on a new leather couch.)

Remember Marley, the title character of the book and movie about the so-called “worst dog in the world”?

Marley had his redeeming characteristics, as do your dogs and mine. But curing separation anxiety is difficult once it sets in, Dodd says.

“I treat them with antidepressents,” says the owner of Gentle Vet in Denver, “but it’s tough to treat even with medication.”

Dodd, asked to comment on the University of Bristol study, said it was “interesting. It stands to reason that pessimistic dogs would be more prone to separation anxiety. Some dogs can handle (being alone),” she added, “but for others it can be like a prison.”

Dodd uses different language than the study does. “I think about dogs being anxious or relaxed,” she said.

“For some dogs anxious behavior is a personality issue,” Dodd said. “They have suffered some trauma, such as their owner giving them up to a shelter.

“The resulting destructive behavior is how they cope,” she added. “They can’t call a friend, they can’t go out and have a drink with somebody.”

What is Dodd’s first step in treating an anxious animal?

“I start by getting the dog more independant,” she said, “so they’re not always having to touch you, follow you around, sleep on your bed. My theory is if they can’t be independent with you, how can they be independent alone?”

She also puts dogs “on kind of a contingency. They have to do something for you before you do something for them.”

Then, she said, “you work up to longer and longer periods of being alone. You desensitize them to triggers, such as the jingling of car keys.”

What’s the first thing an owner should do if he or she suspects separation anxiety?

“Find a trained behaviorist,” Dodd said, “not just a trainer. You need to make sure the dog’s behavior isn’t just boredom.”

“Use people who use positive methods,” Dodd advised. “Interview people about their methods.”

Also, check the Better Business Bureau for any complaints that have been lodged against the provider.

Dr. Rhea Dodd will present two seminars on separation anxiety on Sunday, Nov. 7 at High Tails Dog and Cat Outfitters in Glenwood Springs. A two-hour session for pet owners starts at 10 a.m. A two-hour session for vets and vet techs starts at 1. Two other speakers will appear. For information on cost and to make reservations, call 1-970-947-0014.

Only days are left in the race to see which of 50 animal shelters around the country wins $100,000 from the ASPCA for saving the most animals since Aug. 1. Go to the websites of the two Colorado entries, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and the Larimer Humane Society, for information and to vote for the shelter of your choice, which could net the winner another $25,000. . . .

Foothills Animal Shelter is auctioning a special series of horse drawings done by teenage artist Adrian Gerlach, which depict horses confiscated in a cruelty case. The online auction ends Dec. 1, with proceeds going to the shelter. . . .

Food for animals is still being accepted this week at dropoff points for the Furry Friends Food Drive, which seeks to help financially pinched owners keep their pets. Click on the name of the organization to find dropoff locations. . . .

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PET CALENDAR

Walk to fight cancer – On Nov. 7, Fort Collins residents will join those from cities across the country in the inaugural 2 Million Dogs Puppy Up! Walk for cancer. The event is part of a national effort organized by 2 Million Dogs 2 Miles, Inc., a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of individuals and corporations to help in its mission to eradicate both human and canine cancer through investing in comparative oncology studies.The 2-mile walk will start at 1 p.m. at Fossil Creek Park in Fort Collins. To pre-register: http://puppyupfc.com/

Pit bull workshop - A workshop for exploring how best to shelter, enrich, evaluate and adopt pit bulls will be Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, 2323 55th Street, Boulder. Speakers will be Nicholas Gilman, president of Humane Logic, Christy Boecker, president of Pet Perfection, and Jenn Barg, president of Understanding Dogs. The workshop includes lunch and is sponsored by the Petco Foundation. Registration is $49 for Petfinder members ($69 otherwise). Information: call 617-595-5854 for Nicholas Gilman.

Fetch takes a topical look at a variety of issues affecting pets, including the latest research results.. It seeks to provide useful information for Colorado pet owners and to spotlight the work of Colorado animal welfare groups.